I appreciate The Lens' laserlike focus on subjects of critical interest to the New Orleans area. The more eyes watching and reporting on these subjects, the better for the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
--Stephanie Stokes

Our expanded map features statewide, legislative and selected local races. New for the general election: precinct-level results for Jefferson, St. Tammany, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Caddo parishes. And, of course, Orleans.

Our map will update as the Secretary of State's office counts votes Saturday night, starting shortly after 8 p.m. CT. We're tracking the governor's race, all other statewide races, and a few of interest to New Orleans — including the French Quarter sales tax increase.

Thousands of houses and buildings were razed after the storm. We went back to some of those properties to see what's there now. What we found shows how some parts of the city have rebounded while others struggle, just as they did before the storm.

ProPublica has published health and safety reports for more than 300 ships that dock in the U.S., including those that dock in New Orleans. We checked the logs and found a few serious problems and lots of lesser ones.